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SeeNicRun fitness and running blog started nearly 8 years ago when Nicol aka "Nic" wanted to share her running experiences with other runners across the country. It was a great way to connect with other runners. Now that Nic has immersed herself into the fitness world, she has come to share valuable information on overall health and living a healthy lifestyle. With an extensive background in personal and group training, competitive running and lifestyle coaching, you will learn that fitness is not only for the body but it's for the mind and spirit as well!

As a certified personal trainer it is Nic’s job to help people reach their fitness and health goals or they could waste your time and money if you have chosen to settle with the wrong professional. With the numbers of personal trainers nowadays, it is difficult to determine which is best for your needs. It can also be tough to know if you really need the expertise of a trainer or not.

Once you shop around for a personal trainer, there are numerous gyms that can offer you lots of options in personal training solutions and their high-pressure salesmen would also even try to convince you to purchase a package. However, before signing on the dotted line, it is best to make the right decision first to reach all your goals.

Where to Find a Trainer?

There are several ways on how you can find a personal trainer. The most typical way is by visiting a local gym around your place. Such facilities can offer you personal training packages for extra cost. If you don’t like the trainer in a particular gym in your place, you might want to consider referrals from some of your friends or relatives who have already considered hiring a trainer before.

You can also look for personal trainers by referring in your yellow pages, local papers or online. There are several trainers who already have their own websites and advertise their services on local papers. Just make sure that the website is reputable and reliable.

Questions to Ask a Certified Personal Trainer

You should take note that you are hiring a certified personal trainer to do a job for you. Therefore, if you want to get the best value, you should start an interview by asking some questions regarding what you need or prefer.

One of the questions you should ask is about the experience of the personal trainer. It is always important to ask about the experience of a professional as there are cases that the quality of services offered may depend on the experience of an expert. If you don’t want to experience low quality service, you should consider asking about the professional’s experience.

Another question you should ask must be related with the programs being offered. Not all certified personal trainers offer the same programs. Therefore, if you want to consider a particular program that would offer you satisfaction, it would be wise to stick with a trainer that offers a wide variety of programs that would meet your preferences. Asking about the facilities they have may also be a good idea as this can make a difference in terms of comfort.

Overall, hiring a certified personal trainer may be a great way to make your workouts more effective and enjoyable while allowing you to target your specific needs. It is also important to do your homework before you hire some to ensure that you acquire the expertise you are paying for. Then, you are more likely to feel satisfied with the money you have spent and you’ll be one step closer to achieve your fitness and health goals.

By the time you read this post I will be Whispering Winds camp grounds for my daughter's Cross Country running camp. I am not the "campy" type so I am only looking forward to 1/2 the trip. . .well, wait a minute AND I will be with teenagers AND I'm scared of mine. . .so. . .maybe a 1/4 of the trip will be enjoyable. LOL! No, just kidding, I will a lot of fun! I am looking forward to running for the next 4 days to kick off my 1/2 marathon training. Also to see where I am at when it comes to running a bit faster than normal because my daughter and her team are FAST!

My daughter says that it's the best trail running that they will get all season. She also said that it can get pretty hot out there and some of the trails are very hilly. So, I am pretty nervous but ready to rock and run! We are both preparing for some good runs and excited that we are going together.

If you are interested in heading to the trails this week or weekend, here are a few Trail-Running Tips that you can useful on and off the trails.

Run upright. When running up hills, keep your eyes forward and look up towards the crest of the hill. This will keep your body upright and less hunched over. It's easy to get tired and lean forward. That's actually more work than just running with your chest up and focus on getting to the top.

Shorten your stride when running uphill. Use your entire foot by planting the whole foot on the ground and not use your toes. Using your toes will tire your calf muscles much faster.

Be loose on the downhill. Let your body fall forward and roll out freely. Do not slow yourself down by pulling your body back and braking. Let your body naturally fall forward and run freely.

Watch where you are going. When running, watch your step and strategize where your foot will land. This will prevent most falls and

Focus on time, not distance. Running on trails, sand and road are all completely different. So, do not concentrate on distance but on the length of time you are running. Understand that times will be a bit slower than your road time but will really prepare you for those fast road runs when time to break away from the trails.

Be Safe. Never head out on a trail alone. If you are a guy or gal, don't go alone. I ran on a trail once with my running group and one runner fell and cracked a tooth. If we were not there, should would have been there for quite some time before someone was able to help her up.

Stay on Track even though it's a Trail. Never head off in a direction that is NOT the trail. There is usually a reason why the trail doesn't cut through certain areas.

Have fun! Have a blast running downhill fast, jumping over rocks and possibly running through streams. Enjoy the outdoors the way it should be enjoyed and just be a kid at heart!

Have a great week!

Nicol Hodges aka "Nic" is fitness professional (NASM, CPT/PES) and product designer living in San Diego, CA. Nicol's athletic background started in her hometown of St. Charles, MO where she earned her 400m state ranking 3 years in a row. Later, at the University of MO, Columbia she earned 8-Big 12 Track and Field titles and a championship title. Nicol currently continues her love for running by competing in local and national running events.

"Hey, how are you? Welcome to my blog! If you see anything that catches your attention and you have a question, feel free to contact me by filling out the box below. Have a great day and hope to hear from you soon!"